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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said Alexis Mac Allister\u2019s versatility has added a different dimension to his midfield this season.<\/p>\n
The Argentina World Cup-winner was a stand-out performer in a deeper-lying role again on Sunday as Liverpool strolled to a 3-0 home win against Nottingham Forest.<\/p>\n
After Liverpool\u2019s seventh league win of the season kept them three points behind leaders Tottenham, Klopp said of Mac Allister\u2019s role: \u201cIt\u2019s obviously really not a discussion we have, otherwise we wouldn\u2019t play him there.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think today everybody could see the benefit of a player who comes rather from the offensive side of the game than from the other side.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mac Allister scored 12 goals for Brighton last season in a more advanced position before signing a five-year deal with Liverpool, who paid \u00a355million for him in June.<\/p>\n
He was key to Liverpool in his new role on Sunday as they kept Forest pinned deep in their own half, with two goals in four first-half minutes from Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez followed by Mohamed Salah\u2019s second-half effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really pleased for him,\u201d Klopp added. \u201cA lot of defensive top moments, he checked the counter, was really there. He\u2019s good at these things. That\u2019s why we play him there.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a really creative player in the centre of the park, together with Trent (Alexander-Arnold) in some moments obviously, which is very helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Forest\u2019s winless league run was extended to six games as boss Steve Cooper contends with a string of injuries, but they remain five points above the relegation zone.<\/p>\n
Chris Wood was a late withdrawal from Sunday\u2019s squad due to a hamstring injury and with Taiwo Awoniyi returning to the bench after a groin problem, Cooper was short of options up front.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWe were defensive and tried to play on the counter-attack. But I came here the other night when Liverpool played Toulouse and it finished 5-1 and was over fairly quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can come here and try to be expansive and you can be on the end of a really, really difficult result. We\u2019re not on the end of a good result, of course, but I\u2019ve seen really good teams come here and get punished.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were forced into the team we had to pick, certainly at the top end of the pitch.\u00a0When we got some of the players in more normal positions,\u00a0you could see a little bit of a better identity. But the third goal killed it.\u201d<\/p>\n